A Peshawar anti-terrorism court (ATC, a special court that hears terrorism-related cases) on Wednesday issued a Sohail Afridi arrest warrant, along with warrants for four other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) figures, in the Radio Pakistan attack case. The district public prosecutor placed a challan before the court naming the five as accused over the attack on and arson at the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar during protests on 9 and 10 May 2023, after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan.
Those named with Afridi—who is the suspended chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—are former provincial ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra and Kamran Khan Bangash, PTI’s Peshawar president Irfan Saleem, and party activist Amir Khan Chamkani. ATC Judge Wali Muhammad Khan said that once the challan had been filed and the suspects nominated, arrest warrants followed under the law.
Forensic reports and the court’s order
Radio Pakistan’s counsel, Shabbir Hussain Gigyani, told the court that video of the attack existed and asked for identities in the footage to be checked through the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA, which holds national identity records) and the Punjab Forensic Science Agency. The court later received forensic reports from NADRA in Islamabad and the Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory in Lahore matching video and photographs to the suspects. The prosecution told the court that forensic review of the crime-scene footage also pointed to the accused being present at the site.
Gigyani said the police inquiry had finished but the challan had not reached the court for nearly six months. He said more than 80 suspects had been nominated in the case and that five were now listed in the challan over alleged roles in the attack. He argued the forensic findings backed identification and urged the court to move ahead under the law.
Defence counsel Ali Zaman asked for more time and an adjournment. After hearing both sides, the court issued arrest warrants for the five PTI leaders and put the matter off until 4 November.
Custody context in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Reports of Afridi’s detention circulated soon after the federal government said it would impose an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on 11 October under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution. Officials cited a worsening law-and-order picture and weak provincial support for the counter-terrorism effort. On 12 October, the minister of state for interior confirmed that Afridi and some members of his cabinet had been taken into preventive custody.
Readers seeking earlier coverage of the same court track can also see Court orders five PTI figures held in Peshawar radio fire case.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- 9–10 May 2023: Protesters break into Radio Pakistan’s Peshawar station, set fire to the building and vehicles, and damage equipment after Imran Khan’s arrest; the station, operating since 1935, suffers heavy loss, including regional-language archives.
- After the attack: More than 80 PTI leaders and workers are nominated in related cases; police complete their investigation, but the challan is not filed for nearly six months, counsel told the court.
- 11 October: The federal government announces emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
- 12 October: The minister of state for interior confirms preventive custody of Afridi and some cabinet members.
- Wednesday (latest hearing): The prosecutor submits the challan naming five accused; the Peshawar ATC issues arrest warrants and adjourns until 4 November.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Peshawar ki ATC ne suspended KP CM Sohail Afridi aur chaar aur PTI logon ke khilaaf arrest warrant jaari kiye hain. Yeh Radio Pakistan Peshawar par May 2023 ke hamle aur aag lagane wale case se linked hain. Court ne video aur forensic reports dekh kar yeh qadam uthaya. Agli sunwai 4 November ko hai.
